answer
part of speech
noun (answer, answers); verb (answer, answers, answered, answering)
meaning for a pupil
1) An answer is what you say or write back to a question. tree →
2) An answer is the result of a sum or problem: the answer is 12. tree →
3) To answer is to reply, or to pick up the phone or open the door when someone calls or knocks. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In the Torah it can mean the people's solemn reply, such as saying "Amen" to curses. Interpretation: The "Amen" shows that the people accept the words as their own promise, and tradition treats saying Amen as agreeing and taking part. In the primary lessons: the result of a problem, given by the student or the teacher; in class «write your answer», «check your answer», «the right answer»; in everyday life «answer the phone», «answer the door», «no answer»; in stories a question waiting for an answer
examples
- And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him: (Torah GEN.23.14, JPS 1917) tree →
- And all the people shall answer and say: Amen. (Torah DEU.27.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him: (Torah GEN.23.5, JPS 1917) tree →
- And I answered: Here am I. (Prophets 2SA.1.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: (Writings JOB.4.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said: (Writings JOB.8.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- Not quite. Look at the word «more»: it tells us to add. The answer is 3 + 1 = 4. tree →
- Write the answer in the box. tree →
- Check your answer by adding back. tree →
- Put up your hand if you know the answer. tree →
- Can you answer the phone, please? tree →
- I knocked, but nobody answered. tree →
- The answer to 6 × 7 is 42. tree →
- She answered all ten questions in the quiz. tree →
- "Yes, I was," answered the genius. tree →
note
«The answer is» introduces the result; no clue for choosing the operation. Trap: the answer must name the thing asked for, not just a number («5 apples», not «5»). The «w» is silent: say «AN-ser». «answer a question» needs no «to».
In the corpora
- And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him:
- And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him:
- And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister,
- And Joseph answered and said: 'This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days;
- And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.'
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «answer» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.